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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. jam — in traffic
  2. key — in music
  3. key — for a lock
  4. prune — to trim
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. cue — for pool
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. cue — a signal
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. prune — to trim
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. fall — to drop
  14. fall — to drop
  15. cue — a hint
  16. dip — to sink
  17. key — the most important part
  18. jam — to spread on bread
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. fall — the season
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. vault — a safe
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. dip — to dunk

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com